Dear Santa (And a Very Merry Giveaway)

Written by Susan Lacke

Note: This is a guest post from Ironman triathlete and lifetime Santa-believer Susan Lacke.

Santa Claus
1225 Candy Cane Lane
North Pole

Susan Lacke, age 2?

Dear Santa,

It’s been a little while since I wrote to you. A year, actually. I kept meaning to touch base with you during the year, but time just got away from me! I know, I know. I say that every year. You’re starting to feel like I’m taking advantage of you, like I only write to you when I want a present.

That’s not true, Santa. I really was busy this year. I mean, I trained for an Ironman! That’s gotta count for something, right? I’m sure you know how it is. Don’t you spend a couple weeks doing P90X after eating all those cookies on Christmas, big guy?

Let’s cut to the chase. I know I’m supposed to be asking for selfless things now that I’m a grown-up. I should leave the requests for toys to my nieces and nephews while I request responsible things, like world peace.

Listen, buddy: I’ve been a good girl this year. I got up at 4 AM to train like I was supposed to (okay, I hit the snooze button a lot, but I got up eventually); I ran and biked more miles than I’m able to count; I swam laps in a pool like an aquatic hamster. Do you KNOW how boring lap swimming is, Santa?

I deserve this bike, man. Don’t get me wrong. I love my roadie, Bessie. She’s been very good to me. But after we’ve gotten hit by a car a couple times, she’s a bit worse for wear. I’d like to put her up in a nice retirement home in Boca and ride off into the sunset on my new sleek aerodynamic triathlon-specific bike. I promise I’ll take good care of him. I’ll feed and water and take him for rides every single day and love him so, so, so much! I’ll even give him a sexy name…like “Santa.”

Forget what your “naughty list” says, Santa. I don’t belong there. My readers at No Meat Athlete can vouch for me. They’ve been with me all year and will back me up on this one.

As a goodwill gesture, I’ll give them a chance to win a special prize, the Ultimate Stocking Stuffer Giveaway:

Vanilla Gingerbread, Mint and one additional favorite flavor/product from GU

I believe that plant-based is the healthiest way you can eat -- both for how you feel and perform in the short term, and for long-term health. But there are a few nutrients that are hard to get from plants, and I didn't want to take a whole multivitamin with so much extra that I'm already getting from my food. That's why I created Complement Plus, the perfect nutrient formula for plant-based athletes.
Complement Plus brings together, in one place, the essential nutrients that are missing from a reasonably diverse, whole food plant-based diet:

You wouldn’t make her carry YOUR water too, would you Claire? Naughty list… Actually I’ve done that before. I’ve read that some dogs like having a “job” to do like that. Apparently mine didn’t though, because he would sit down and not move as soon as we put the water bottles in his pack.

Susan – You and I have the same “want” from Santa. Except, unlike you, I don’t even have a road bike (sad face here). I did my first year of tri on a hybrid, and I just cannot do year #2 on that thing. It’s a sweet little bike, but it will not help me pass lots of boys and girls on the road. So, I’ll even take a ROAD BIKE, Santa. One I can clip my “spin shoes” into. That alone would be a huge step up!!!

I would like the book Thrive so that I can fulfill my New Year’s resolution and officially become a vegetarian endurance athlete! I would settle for a strong finish at the Flying Pig marathon and the Dances with Dirt 50-miler in Michigan!

World Peace? On NMA shouldn’t we be wishing for Whirled Peas? I wish my tri time to come down quite a bit this next season, so an upgrade on the bike wouldn’t be a bad idea for me either. And I promise this year to spend less time looking at the pretty views from my bike and concentrating on racing more.

So many things on my list! But I really need to outfit my dog in better running gear, so I would like a nice windproof jacket and reflective leash/collar for him. For me, I would like some vibram five fingers and a container of each flavor of Tara’s Whey protein, yum.

At the top of my list is a nice, reflective running-specific windbreaker, like the yellow one Brooks makes that seems to actually glow. I like running in the dark and in the snow, but I’m not too big on being hit by cars and I don’t like the wind, either.

I’ve been reading for months, but this is the first time I’ve commented. Crafty. May have to do this more often.

I’m really hoping Santa brings me some running pants! I had no idea North Carolina would be so cold this time of year…it didn’t get this cold in South Carolina until late January (at least during the past 2 years). I’m starting to train for a 10k (and then maybe a half!) and need some warmer running gear. I’ve run 4 5ks and I want to race at a longer distance in 2011!!!

at the top of my list? the bike that i’m going to use to train for my first ironman! i’ve already picked him out; he’s a cannondale and his name is mack the knife. i would also be eternally grateful if santa would bring me a bike trainer.

and what the heck….a tri bike and entry fee into the myriad of races I’m going to enter this year.

Thanks for putting this blog together. As I’m getting in better shape, I’m dramatically lowering my meat consumption and your site has been a help and inspiration. Best wishes for much health and happiness in 2011!

I hope being greedy doesn’t make me naughty…I just have so much at the top of my list. I’d love some Brooks Green Silence, some new Veg cookbooks, and running tights to keep my legs warm on the 20 degree days!

Took the plunge from vegetarian to vegan. I want a cookbook where I don’t have to think about substitutions. Real deal vegan, with real deal pages (not cyber!) that I can accidently get dirty while cheffing my way about the kitchen!

The first thing on my list is some nice warm running pants to keep my tush toasty, and waterproof socks so I don’t lose any toes. I’d also like to ask for a Garmin for my husband as he starts triathlon training in January. And a gift certificate for the couples vegetarian cooking class at the local culinary school. Thanks Santa!

Dear Santa… Bring me a Kona slot! This is not a request; all my races will be rev3, and apparently that’s not good enough, so bring me an envelope with an invite to race Kona….or I’ll be visiting your house next year, with something far worse than coal…and much more painful. K thanks

I have, for a while now, been asking Santa (and my mom & dad) for some Salba, an Eastbay Giftcard, and most importantly, for their support in my attempt at vegetarianism. (They say that it’s unhealthy!)

Dear Santa –
I know we’ve discussed this several times already, but I really need (not just “want”) a Blenctec Blender. It’s such a big deal, I’m willing to give up shopping at SkirtSports and Sugoi, even if they have wicked sales over the next couple of weeks.
Love you Santa,
Andrea
xoxox

I’m going to be looking for some good presents under the tree this year (snowboard/ blender maybe?), but I want other people to get good presents too. Santa, can you give me a present that I can give to a charity or a shelter. Have you forgotten those people who have had it worse than us? They need some christmas cheer too.

I would like to win the lottery so I can buy a new bike to replace the one I built that was stolen as well as have some money left over to buy an island to create some bad ass private single track trails on.

I’d love it if, for Christmas, the readers here would volunteer with (or make a tax deductible donation to) their local Girls on the Run chapter. My wife has been volunteering with this group training with the girls, and it just makes such a difference to these kids to have a strong, positive role model in their lives.

As for me, Santa… maybe a new pair of Vibrams? I’m starting to get debris between the sole and the liner, and it hurts. :'( Pretty please, Santa?

I totally back Tim up on this one. Girls on The Run is an amazing, amazing organization. But if any reader has an organization which helps people change their lives for the better, I encourage you to donate your time, money, or skills to help this Christmas season!

Dear Santa,
Where do I start? I have been really good this year and had some pretty crappy luck. Could you heal my foot so I could run again? If that’s too tall an order, maybe a Vita-Mix? Or some Kinvara’s in a 9.5 (black and pink preferably) for when I’m ready to run again? I’ll stop there. Thanks

At the top of my Christmas wish list is a mild Maine winter. I’ll be training for Boston soon and my long runs will be safer if I don’t have to fight plow trucks for use of the road and more enjoyable if my water bottles don’t freeze the moment I step out the door. I wonder if GU freezes…

Dear Hanukkah Harry,
I would love for you to give me the ability to find my mental fortitude to stick with the whole food plant based diet and not stray too often into the animal protein world. I can’t help it if I like milk chocolate! I would also love a NMA running shirt, either long or shirt sleeve XL.
Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy WInter Soltice, and Merry Christmas to all!
Namaste,
Jon

Santa,
I would love, some new gear to keep me warm when i go out and run in the winnipeg winter, and a new pair of vegan sparring gloves. oh yea, and like the others have mentioned i could also use a new set of knees. But most importantly i long for the renewal of dedication that the fixed knees will surely bring.

My list is still jam packed with the basics. I still need a bike…not a tri bike, just a road bike. I may need a wet suit as well. But to be honest…if you can go ahead and get that world peace thing taken care of, I’ll figure the rest out for myself. π Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Honestly? A salad spinner tops my Christmas list this year. I’m too poor to buy a decent one, but I’m a bit hesitant to eat unwashed pre-bagged lettuce. I also hate puddles of water in my salad bowl and definitely don’t think far enough ahead to air dry the stuff.
That and a pair of VFF classics. Gotta throw in something fun, right?

Dear Santa,
I haven’t written to you in a while but this year I’ve been working on myself. Last year we wanted to do our first marathon but with a new job and the long hours, I lost the motivation.
This year, I’ve been working on the motivation. When my husband deployed, I stuck it out with one of my trainer buddies and did CrossFit 4 times a week. I stuck to a goal and it felt great-with my husband back, I managed to stick with it.
The problem now though is I want to become a better runner, a better vegetarian (or become vegan), and a better environmentalist. So… part of me wants you to just give me the answers. Tell me how to do it all! How do I transition into veganism when my husband is addicted to cheese and my environmentalist ways prevent me from buying overly processed, overly packaged, and overly traveled foods to meet my nutritional needs.
I know you can’t give me the answers though. Because we’ll be moving every three years so I need something more sustainable than the answers for how to live right now.
So I guess I’m asking for perseverance. I know the motivation is there (I can feel it like the Force within me). With the inspiration I’ve attained in Born to Run, No Impact Man, No Meat Athlete, and countless other sources, I can sustain the desire. But the answers elude me still. My goal is to do my first marathon next year, begin my transition into veganism, and meet my own standards for a low impact life. It would be great if you could help me with a hint or eight here and there and some steadfast perseverance.

I would be very happy with a pair of tights and gloves to run in this crazy cold that you sent to the south! I do not enjoy the treadmill for long runs and love the snow but this 7 degree high’s is killing me with out the proper wear π

I know I’ve been a faithful runner, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to branch out a bit. So, I would really, really like that Trek 2.1 with my name on it at the bike shop. And some funny running/biking socks from the Sock Guy.

I want an Excalibur Dehydrator… and, an a Vita Mix? We are transitioning to a mostly raw vegan diet, and it would make my life so much easier — I still gotta feed a marathoner (me), an Ironman (the Mister) and an up-and-coming athlete (toddler)!

At the top of my Christmas list is a quick fix for my running buddy’s recently diagnosed stress fracture. She has trained for months to run her first half marathon (Dec. 19) and Santa’s help to heal her would be sincerely appreciated!!

Her stress fracture is on the bottom of her foot where the 3rd and 4th toes meet the foot. I also got a stress fracture (in my shin) from overtraining for my first half marathon, though I didn’t know it at the time and ran the thing anyway! If our bodies could only keep up with our love for running…

There are only 2 things on my list:
1. Cold weather running gear. (Thinking about spending all winter on the treadmill makes me shudder. I want to be outside!)
2. Motivation! (My running partner/husband joined the army and will be at Basic Training for a couple of months.)*

I would like, and have wished for many a year, for the motivation for my mother and father to start jogging. I won’t jump the gun and wish for them to begin running immediately…that would be too ambitious. Baby steps. I just want them to be healthy and fit!

I really want a treadmill. I hate running on them, but living in North Dakota, there are some days that just won’t let me get outside to run. Like this morning. It was -4*, with 20 mph winds, and sleeting/snowing. It was miserable! So… I want a treadmill!

My first wish is for the VitaMix blender so my wife, two daughters, and I can enjoy healthy tasty smoothies. I also wish for a cool LED headlamp so I can run my local trails after the girls are in bed (or before they wake up). Thanks Santa. I’m looking forward to running in the dark fuelled by a tasty vegan smoothie!

I need Santa to bring me the gear I need for my first triathlon in August. I need him to help me become a better swimmer so I don’t drown. I also need a nice beginners training schedule since I’ve never done anything like this before (I usually only run)!!!

I want the motivation to get up early enough to train each day. I know that will be hard to wrap, and fit under the tree, but I have no doubt you can figure it out. Barring that, a new bike will make me happy.

Dearest Santa,
For Christmas, I would really like to make it to state in Track this year. I’ve been training really hard and took my two weeks off between XC and conditioning, like I was told to. It would be the best gift ever if I could. In my 16 years of life, I have fallen in love with running & the sport… I’m so close, so I know I can do it! Maybe your gift to me could be that little extra push I need. On January 1st, I will have been a vegetarian for a year now! See, Santa? I think I deserve to make it this year…If you’re feeling really generous, a few other girls on my team deserve it too!

Top of my Christmas Wish List: A really cool food processor. I know that my sound kinda boring to most people BUT I’ve been reading all the recipes on the NMA site and in Brendan Brazier’s Thrive, and quite a few call for a food processor. Sooo, I would love to get one so I can try out those great recipes.

I’ve just bought myself a NMA tee-shirt so Santa can cross that off his list.

I want a new back! I hurt mine training for an ultra this summer, and haven’t been able to resume running or even biking since π It is driving me up a wall! Going from being active to inactive stinks. A treadmill would also be nice so I could continue my rehab walking without freezing outside!!

I’m wishing for a pair of Powerbeats Sport Headphones from the Beats collection by Dr. Dre and a NMA shirt. A snazzy new shirt and headphones that don’t fall out while I’m erging would definitely help make winter training a little more bearable!

Dear Santa,
I’d like to hitch a sleigh-ride down to the pool each morning. I get chilled to the bone in my current jacket and when I jump in the water I’m still not warmed up from the walk. So a nice lift from you and Rudolph would be much appreciated. But I know you are busy, so it might be more convenient for you if you stuck a nice, warm parka — are your elves familiar with patagonia? — under the tree this Christmas. And of course I’ll leave you some healthy NMA cookies from one of Christine’s recipes in return.

Dear Santa,
Sorry its been about 25 years since I have written.
Like most people, I to am hitting some hard times. We are down to one income after my wife lost her job. My wife and I have four children that we love and enjoy and their Christmas is my first priority. So please don’t put my request above theirs; I just thought maybe since I have been such a good boy there may be a place for me on your list.
I just ran in my FIRST marathon in Las Vegas, it was an exhilarating and rewarding experience. You see I ran for the challenge for myself but I also ran for charity. I was able to raise over $1000 for Farm Sanctuary; the money will go to benefit neglected farm animals. The marathon was a little expensive though and to make my participation in it possible I had to be quite frugal. Running shorts and socks from the clearance rack. A dry tech from Walmart and a donated time share for my lodging in Las Vegas. I was blessed however with a sponsorship from Newton Running who supplied shoes for the marathon.
To get to the point Santa I would like a worry free run weekend, because without your help I don’t know when I will be able to afford to run my next race. Registration for my next marathon and hotel for my wife and myself so we could go without the babies (who are both under two) would be amazing. My wife and I would very much appreciate any help you could send our way!
Thanks,
Cory “The Vegan Firefighter”

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